Muslim protest as British schools allowed to ban veils

London - Britain on Tuesday gave school headteachers the right to ban the Islamic veil and other religious clothing from classrooms, re-igniting a debate over multi-culturalism and triggering Muslim anger.

A spokesman for the Department for Education and Skills stressed that the new guidelines did not mean that the government was imposing a blanket ban on religious clothing at schools.

But Massoud Shadjareh, chairman of the Islamic Human Rights Commission, voiced dismay at the new rules.

"Successive ministers dealing with education issues have failed to give proper guidance when requested by human rights campaigners about schools' obligations regarding religious dress," he said.

"To now proceed to issue guidance against Muslim communities is simply shocking."

The guidelines require schools to consult with the local community, including students' parents, before deciding on a uniform policy, and note that, where possible, they should be tolerant of religious dress.

But certain items of clothing, such as the full-face veil, or niqab, may be banned if headteachers believe that they hamper safety, security or learning, so long as a consultation is carried out.

"Schools must act reasonably in accommodating religious requirements, providing they do not pose a threat to security, safety and learning, or compromise the well-being of the whole school community," said the guidelines.

But they added: "Where individual requirements have an impact in any of these areas, schools are within their rights to take appropriate action," while saying they must consult with parents and the local community.

The new rules follow a high-profile British court case in which the father of a 12-year-old Muslim girl was last month refused permission to challenge a school's ban on her wearing the niqab during lessons.

Earlier this month, a Muslim teaching assistant who was suspended, then sacked, for refusing to take off her full-face veil in class launched an appeal. A date for a ruling has not yet been set.

Former foreign secretary Jack Straw triggered a fierce debate about the niqab last October when he revealed that he asked women wearing the garment to take it off when they met him at his constituency surgery.

Prime Minister Tony Blair also suggested the niqab was a "mark of separation" at a time of government efforts to promote greater integration between different communities in Britain.

Although it was initially a row about the extent of Muslim integration, the debate has extended to the right to wear any religious symbol in public and drawn in senior religious leaders, politicians and the judiciary.

But Tahir Alam, education spokesman for the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB), played down the significance of the new guidelines.

"The vast majority of schools are able to solve these issues locally, and that should continue to be the case. We have to be sensible in the way we address these issues," he said.

Agence France Presse

I can understand why some schools wouldn`t allow veils:-